DoH data reveals rise in testing of diabetics

The number of children tested fell by 40,000

The latest statistical six months' snapshot of the profession from the Government has revealed a drop in spectacles being reimbursed by vouchers in England and Wales.

The data also discloses the profession's reliance on PCTs/LHBs, with 4,043 optometrists having contracts with more than one of these bodies.

The Department of Health announced that a total of 5.34 million sight tests were paid for by PCTs in England and LHBs in Wales from October 2004 to March this year.

This represented a fall of 2.3 per cent for the total during the preceding six months (April to September 2004, 5.47 million).

There were 58,000 fewer sight tests paid for by PCTs in England for those aged 60 and over, but in Wales this category rose by 8,000. Elsewhere there were falls in the number of children being tested - by 40,000 - and adults receiving tax credit.

However, the numbers of those tested who suffered from diabetes and glaucoma rose sharply in England from 247,840 to 303,348. In Wales this category fell back from 20,060 tests to 17,310.

PCTs/LHBs reimbursed vouchers for 1.9 million pairs of spectacles from October 2004 to  March 2005, 4.2 per cent down on the period April to September 2004.

However, for the year to March 2005 there was an increase of 2.8 per cent from 3.77 million to 3.88 million.

In the 12 months, 10.8 million sight tests were paid for by PCTs/LHBs, up by 3 per cent on the previous 12 months.

The Government data shows that the ophthalmic workforce in England and Wales continues to open new outlets, with 6,604 premises in 2004 compared to 6,552 in 2003 with the  number of optometrists up 2.3 per cent from 8,140 to 8,328.